Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A Handmade Romance


Will Amy find love again?  Can she discover the joy of Handmade and learn to trust again?  
Handmade Honeymoon is a must read!  The perfect romantic, handmade novel, such a great story you will want to share with all your friends!  

Handmade Circle Team hopes you enjoy our Handmade Romance Story! Let's get started.........

Amy's heart was broken, so she decided she would try and start her life over, she moved to Texas to her Uncle's Ranch. One day she was out exploring the Old Barn and found this great Denim Purse, 

when she opened it up she found, a thousand dollars. "Wow", she said, "I think I need to go to somewhere where the sun is shining. This is gonna pay for my trip!"  So she put on most tropical looking earrings,


  and proceeded to give SERIOUS consideration on what she would need for her trip to meet her ULTIMATE GOAL! A Valentine's date worthy of all her wonderfulness! YES! She thought, something Wrapped In Leather And Wire And Draped In Beautiful Gems ! Just The Ticket! Where Can I Get That? Oh YES, here it is:
I'm gonna buy it for my trip! once she bought it she turned with a frown, what else do I need, how else will I meet my goal!!!???

And she said to herself, "these earrings would look fabulous with my shabby chiffon yellow flower headband". 


She placed the headband on her head and she continued to pull together other items she might need for her trip. She wanted to have a variety of beautiful items for her trip and immediately decided to take a pair of brown Tagua nut chip earrings which could go with any outfit.


 She found the earrings and then realized that if she is going to be on a long trip, she might need a friend and adviser with her, so she took her wise stylish Owl with her too.


 Suddenly she heard a knock on the door. She picked up her coffee with her sock monkey cozy and went to answer it.


 She couldn't believe her eyes when she  saw her high school boy friend standing in the door step with two wine glasses, a picnic basket, and a beautiful peacock quilt.


"What are you doing here?" she asked. She invited him in for a minute where he surprised her with a beautifully wrapped gift. With surprise and delight she opened the gift and found the most beautiful bracelet
 Amy grabbed her gypsy shawl in case she got chilly on the picnic,


and off they went, looking for the perfect spot for a little sunshine.
After their picnic, they take a little stroll...hand in hand of course. As they were walking they heard this beautiful sound...ting ting ting..ting a ling...and they just had to find out what it was. They walked around the corner and there is was...an amazingly beautiful wind chime ... hand crafted from the most unique silver pieces. It's purple beads absolutely sparkled in the sunshine, and they couldn't help but notice that it even had crystals at the top that were throwing rays of color everywhere. They said to each other...who would have thought silverware could sound so beautiful!


But where did they find something like that? So the decided to walk up onto the porch to see if anyone was home and there on the porch her old boyfriend had set up a romantic scene for them to share their meal. The table was so romantic with soft candlelight glowing from an elegant Tuscan Wine scented soy candle.


The house seemed to be empty. They kept walking through until they reached the back door and went out. They could hardly believe their eyes, it was a beautiful garden, full of the most unusual and exquisite blooms they had ever seen, glittering in the sun. Why were they so sparkly? They looked closer and discovered to their amazement the flowers were all made of gemstones! She found one that was actually a necklace, and discovered they were all pieces of jewelry, floral brooches, necklaces and more in this fabulous garden. She placed one around her neck, and said, I can't think of a more lovely spot for our picnic!



The night was getting colder, so she had to go back home and put her knitted set.


After putting on her beautiful knitted set she realized it was getting late and the sun was starting to set. Back when she was dating her old boyfriend they use to love going for long runs. She grabbed her sneakers and her Sassygirl headband,


and they started running off into the sunset, remembering and  discovered they both loved each other, and they both loved Handmade! 

Written By:  Handmade Circle Team










Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Ruby Tuesday

Catch your dreams before they slip away,
Lose your dreams,
And you will lose your mind.

From Ruby Tuesday by The Rolling Stones......





We here at Handmade Circle Team know all about following our dreams, our dreams are Handmade Dreams, and they are made with Love.  We are celebrating "Ruby Tuesday" today, come join us, browse through all the Handmade Circle Team Shops that are participating in this great event by clicking on the Handmade with Love Heart! You are sure to find something for your Ruby Tuesday made with Love!

Marsha Bourquin/Head Hag- Bags By Hags






Monday, January 21, 2013

We All Have Dreams



Everyone has dreams, as children we dream of being Doctors, Lawyers, Firefighters, or Teachers.  As we grow older many of us dream for owning a home, becoming financially stable, and some of us dream of being  famous.

All of the Handmade Artists at Handmade Circle Team have dreams as well, I am excited to share with everyone the hopes and dreams of Handmade Circle:


Holly's Homemade Goodies will dream big this year....I hope to continue to have a successful small business. I would like to increase my inventory so I may sell at craft fairs in the near future. I am currently working on new quilt patterns so I may offer my customer's more of a variety in styles of quilts to chose from. I would also like to double my sales from last year.


Whispering Metalworks has a dream. And we hope that someday this dream will become reality. Our goal...hopefully fairly short term...is to continue to grow our business enough that my over the road truck driving husband can quit his job and focus on the business. He works so very hard, and it takes a huge toll on both he and our family. He and I are absolutely partners in our business... maybe short term he would leave his trucking job and work part time at the business and part time at a local driving job. But ultimately we hope to have our business expand into a store front and have it fully sustain our family expenses!


Camermaid Jewelry - My personal dream is that my little Etsy shop will continue to grow and prosper to the extent that it provides my family with a real income! I hope that sustainable practices such as buying local and handmade continues to grow and folks look for more quality, opposed to quantity.

Star Jewels - My dream is to continue growing my business and sales revenue quickly. I plan to at least double and hopefully triple my revenue from last year in 2013. I have a plan, I know exactly how to make it happen, and I am confident it will!

Baby Girl's Creations - My dream is to continue creating and succeed so that this will become my full time job.

Artisticsoul Designs - My dream for 2013 is to keep growing and moving my business forward. Create and cultivate relationships online and in person that support my shop and product lines. I have a lot of irons in the fire and I hope to see them develop throughout this year.

Twiggy & Opal - My dream is for my daughter to finally find happiness in her personal life and creativity side and for my son to reach for the stars!

Cutterstone Jewelry - My dream is to move out of state, to a place where my husband will be able to fulfill HIS dream to open his own shop! It would be fantastic to work together full-time and feel like a REAL business. Although Etsy does provide more than we expected to receive, we do want to increase our inventory and build a good customer base.

Toppy Toppy Knits - My dream for 2013 is to expand my business, I'm trying to keep it growing, I need a good income.
Besides I hope I can find a real job, (working from home) again.

Gaga Gems - My dream is to become successful enough selling my jewelry so that when I retire I have something to keep me busy and generate a little income. Retirement is a while yet so I have time I just need to stay focused.

The Happy Mushroom - My dream is to find a patch of land in the wilderness (not a lot of that left in the UK!) where we can build a tiny little house from natural materials without having to worry about planning laws (they are ridiculous here) and where we can have peace and freedom to do what we want away from the noisy modern world. A tiny house with a great big studio workshop outside to create beautiful things. With a tiny well insulated house and a little vegetable garden, maybe a few chickens, we wouldn't need much money so we could create just for fun, selling what we wanted without having to worry about productivity.

Doodlebug's Treasures -  My dream is that our business can generate enough income that my hubby doesnt have to work at dead end jobs until we graduate with our bachelors degree in two years.

ifrogcrafts - My original dream was that i could do my creating full time & not have to "work". My wonderful hubby has made that possible. My new dream is to have a craft mall where the rental spaces are reasonably priced, or maybe organize a co-op store in this area.
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The Prismatic Peacock - My hope for 2013 is to continue to grow and expand my business. My goal is to obtain at least three new local stores to carry my products, to triple my Etsy sales, and to invest in SEO to increase my online visibility. My dream is that The Prismatic Peacock will take flight and provide my family with a steady income and allow me to continue to nurture my creativity and love of color and fragrance.

Sassy Girl Headbands - My hope for 2013 is for Sassygirl to grow enough to let me drop a day at my "real job" to be home with my girls more. I do love my real job  I would also like to learn more about sewing and be able to make more than just headbands! All a work in progress!

Terri Jean's Adrornments - For my business/shop to be successful. However, my longtime dream has been to go to Egypt!

BMaja - Success for my shop and for me to visit Cuba

And As for me at Bags By Hags - My dream is for a cure for dementia to be found and that my Mother has a good year and enjoys her Golden years.  To enjoy every second possible with my Grandchildren and watch them grow and learn.  For my family to be healthy and prosperous.  For everyone on the Handmade Circle Team to see their dreams come true, and finally for my own little shop to grow and prosper through the year.

What is your Dream?   Whatever it is, Dream big, and NEVER give up on your Dream!



We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr.I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World
 





Monday, January 7, 2013

The Perfect Potato - GIVEAWAY

What makes a Perfect Potato?
First one of Bags By Hags Microwave Potato Bags of course!
But what about after you have cooked your potato? What topping or toppings do you think make your potato even better?

Enter our giveaway and tell us what is the perfect topping for your baked potato! The winner will win the Potato Bag shown. And if by chance you don't win we have plenty of other Potato Bags to choose from in our shop (with more new patterns coming soon!) and you too can have your own perfect potato!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Marsha Bourquin/Head Hag- Bags By Hags
BagsbyHags@gmail.com  



Monday, December 31, 2012

Out with the Old - In With the New!




It has been quite a year! 2012 brought many changes, lots of laughter, a few tears, and many blessings!

In 2012 I discovered the Handmade Circle Team  I have made numerous friends, learned so much, and Bags by Hags reaped the rewards from learning so much from this team!  We were very blessed to surpass our goal for the year and we look forward to new products, new goals, and meeting new customers in 2013.

2012 saw the birth of my third granddaughter in March.
My oldest granddaughter starting Pre-K 
And the middle granddaughter turning 2 today!
My grandchildren are the sunshine of my soul! 

I cannot believe all the smiles, hugs, and lovies I was blessed with! 

As we move forward into 2013 look for new products, new adventures with these girls, and hopefully new goals will be met. 

What are some of your favorite memories from 2012? 

Bags By Hags wishes everyone a successful, prosperous, and blessed 2013! 

Marsha Bourquin/Head Hag- Bags By Hags


Friday, November 30, 2012

A Handmade Christmas Story - It's A Great Read!

Looking for a good book to curl up by the fireplace with? Well grab your blanket, your glasses (if you need them), a good cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy this great new book.  It's not Fifty Shades Of Gray, it's better it's like Fifty Shades Of Handmade!

Sit back, relax, and we hope you enjoy our story!


A HANDMADE CHRISTMAS STORY
WRITTEN BY: HANDMADE CIRCLE TEAM
ILLUSTRATED BY: HANDMADE CIRCLE TEAM ARTISTS
COVER ART BY: Holly Westmoreland of HOLLY'S HOMEMADE GOODIES

It was a cold and snowy morning, Mama was in the kitchen making breakfast with her 
new Pot Holder Handles, 
she turned around and saw, She was leaking breastmilk all over her nice new apron. She went and put on a pair of nursing pads

and then heard a knock at the back door.

On her way she thought : oh my! maybe it's a burglar. I should take something to protect myself....so she turned back to the kitchen and grabbed
She opened the door and to her surprise, it was a vampire, dripping blood from his fangs from his last kill! She took the spoon and plunged it through his heart! Mission accomplished. But now, what to do with this vampire carcass? She looked again at the teeth, gleaming redly in the dawning light. My, you know, those would make a really lovely necklace. She pried out the teeth with some pliers and made,
 My it's been a busy morning, she thought! I've already killed a vampire, made a necklace and I still have to  make POZOLE!


 After she finished making her delicious Pozole, she had piles and piles of dishes to wash. This is going to take forever she thought...I need some dish cloths that will stand up to the job. 


and she pulled them out of her dishcloth drawer. "What if the vampire's friends come looking for him? I'd better be prepared!" She went to her jewelry box and pulled out her handmade silver cross and fastened it around her neck. 


"Hmmmm, now where did I put my silver plated spoon with the Power Of The Gnomes? These mythical little creatures surely could help in this  situation!


But wait! What is that noise? Who could it be? Oh, its our lovely Nana awaking from her mid day slumber. She suggested that I hang up a sign...a banner of sorts.


Nana is also feeling a bit cold, so she laid down on her couch by the fire and wrapped up in her favorite quilted throw.


Nana thought....hmmmm... I feel so cozy by the fire wrapped in my beautiful quilt...I think I will send some amazing ( can you even believe someone made this guitar!) postcards to my friend for Christmas!


Being a practical, yet funky and stylish Nana, she wanted to help Mom with the evening's vampire fighting plan, but looked down ASTONISHED! No warm socks! and Snow In The Forecast For Tonight! she raced to find her warmest chunkiest socks and pulled on the first COLORFUL pair that caught her eye!


 NOW she's ready to fight some vampires, she turned with her a FIERCE DETERMINED look on her face and put on her custom handmade pink Mary Jane slippers.


Oh Mama" she said as she walked out of the room, "What are you doing?" Mama was changing the baby into a cute little diaper.


After the baby was all fresh and clean, they went into the living room to play with Nana and much to their surprise, was non-other than Santa Claus!!


What was he doing here so early and YIKES, aren't we supposed to be decorating out tree with all our handmade ornaments?

'Well done', said Santa. 'I have an early present for both of you! It makes my heart glad that you have chosen to decorate your tree with handmade ornaments. Here is something I have made for each of you:


 Mama and Nana both oohed and aahed over their gift! "And for baby", said Santa, "here is something to make him smile".


And they all lived Happily Handmade Ever After! 


What other people are saying about the individual's and their items in this story: (While our story is fictional of course, the following comments are actual feedback left by customers who purchased from the shops above) 

Spectacular!! Even better than I imagined! Super fast shipping and superior customer service!

Awesome seller! This was a custom order and it turned out PERFECT. I bought this for my daughter for Christmas and I know she is going to love it! Quick turn around time, fast shipping and the seller is amazing! I'll definitely be back!

Item arrived today as described and craftsmanship is flawless! I bought this as a wedding gift for a friend at work and now want one for myself too. I will be back to buy more!

Wonderful, wonderful product!!! So well made, beautiful colors, unique, I can't say enough!

Thank you so much for the beautiful custom-cast ring! My fiancee, could not be more pleased with the unique design and has spent the weekend showing it off to friends and family with pride. It's interesting, has a story to it, and fits him like a glove. We couldn't be happier to have him wearing your design for years to come.

The necklace arrived in two days, packaged in a lovely box with a ribbon. It was beautiful.

Excellent workmanship! So happy with my necklace! This shop was great in answering my questions & Fast turnaround time! A++++

Thrilled as always, can't imagine having a big party without some special touch from Whispering Rainbows!

This quilt that I bought from Holly is a true masterpiece and is so beautifully made. She has a real talent!


We hope you will visit all these great shops and see for yourself all the lovely items they offer and why these people are raving about them! 























SEASON'S GREETINGS! 

Marsha Bourquin/Head Hag- Bags By Hags










Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Why Handmade?

Have you considered Handmade Items for your gift giving this year? Think you can get a better quality item from the big box stores? Think the people on your list would rather have something that is massed produced and everyone has one like it?

I am here to tell you all the reasons why you should MOST Definitely consider a Handmade Item this year.

  •  Higher Quality- no machine can take the pride in its work like an individual does.

  •  Handmade items are made with love - the creator usually puts a piece of themselves into the work.

  • A handmade item has a unique and special character that manufactured goods can never ever have. It has the life and breath of the maker flowing through it.

  • Handmade is unique and usually one-of-a-kind, the buyer is supporting the small business owners vs. the big companies that produce items with no care or love for the item or person purchasing the item.

  • Artists and Crafters put a little bit of themselves into their work. Everything they make has their own unique signature, be it a certain style, color palette, or stitch.

  • Buying handmade supports an individual doing a craft they love.

  • Because a real person took the time to make sure what they made was made with the utmost care and perfection. Nothing is more precious than one's time and each handmade gift is a gift of time

  • Customer Service - This is the big one for me, if you go into one of the big box stores and find something you like but want it in a different pattern, different length, or variations of the product, guess what? The selection available is what is on the shelf. Not with Handmade, most if not all Handmade Artists will bend over backwards to make the product you desire and insure your Custom Order is to your desire! 
Still not sure about buying Handmade? Well why not browse through this wonderful list of
talented Artist's? Here you will find Jewelry, Baby Quilts, Accessories, Home Decor, and more in fact I am almost positive you can find something for everyone on your list! 




















Marsha Bourquin/Head Hag- Bags By Hags
https://twitter.com/BagsbyHags
BagsbyHags@gmail.com